Flexible bag package article

ABSTRACT

A package article of flexible packaging bags such as used in the meat packing industry in conjunction with automatic and semiautomatic packaging apparatus is made by assembling a multiplicity of flattened stacked flexible bags on a wicket which may be canted to imbricate the bags, securing the wicket with an inner carton element and enclosing and securing the wicketed stacked bags and the inner carton element in an outer carton element.

A United States Patent 1191 Cwikla FLEXIBLE BAG PACKAGE ARTICLE [75]Inventor: Joseph M. Cwikla, Hickory Hills, Ill.

[73] Assignee: Union Carbide Corporation, New

York, NY.

22 Filed: Dec. 29, 1971 211 App]. No.: 213,755

[52] US. Cl. 206/57 A, 211/57, 248/100 [51] Int. Cl B65d 85/00 [58]Field of Search...; 206/57 R, 57 A;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,406,818 10/1968 Barnett..206/57A [111 3,73%A2 June 12, 1973 2,925,175 2/1960 Williamson et a1.206/57 A X Primary Examiner-Samuel B. Rothberg Assistant ExaminerStephE. Lipman Attorney-Paul A. Rose and John F. Hohmann [57] ABSTRACT Apackage article of flexible packaging bags such as used in the meatpacking industry in conjunction with automatic and semiautomaticpackaging apparatus is made by assembling a multiplicity of flattenedstacked flexible bags on a wicket which may be canted to imbricate thebags, securing the wicket with an inner carton element and enclosing andsecuring the wicketed stacked bags and the inner carton element in anouter carton element.

8 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures The present invention relates to a packagearticle and more particularly to a package of flattened stacked flexiblepackaging bags made of plastic or the like material of the typecustomarily used in the meat packaging industry and in which the bagsare held on a wicket which is in turn secured by an inner carton memberwith an outer carton member enclosing and securing the bags, the wicketand the inner carton member to complete the assembled article.

Packaging operations in industry are of significant import and interesttowards promoting the rapid, efficient and economical packaging ofproducts for the market. Food packaging generally and the meat packingindustry in particular require additionally the strict maintenance ofsanitary conditions. Automatic or semiautomatic packaging techniqueshave been developed towards achievement of these desired goals.semiautomatic packing techniques, that is to say those requiring thecooperation of a human operator with a machine, are uniquely of interestto the meat packing industry since the products being packagedfrequently are not exactly alike as to size, shape and weight, acircumstance militating against fully automatic packing. To the extentthat food products, meat cuts and the like for example, are at leastsufficiently alike in size, shape and weight in a given series to permitthe use of packaging bags of the same size and material, some degree ofautomation in the packaging operation is possible. US. Pat. No.3,552,090 to Roberts et al. and the copending application ofKupcikevicius et al., Ser. No. 173,960, assigned to the same assignee asthis application are illustrative of such semiautomatic techniques andapparatus. To a much lesser degree, the automatic part of a packagingprocess may take the form of relatively facile availability of one bagat a time from a bag supply source.

Whatever the degree of complexity of the apparatus and techniquesemployed in a packaging operation involving food, meat products inparticular, it is of the utmost importance that the supply of packagingbags be maintained in a sanitary condition and that the bag dispensingaction be accomplished with facility and without bag waste or theincidental production of torn bag scraps which interfere with smooth andefficient operation. While these desirable characteristics are veryimportant in even the simplest modes of semiautomatic packaging, theyare of much greater importance in the more fully automated modes such asfor instance those involving opening the bags one at a time with an airstream for insertion of a product unit into each bag sequentially. Inthese more automated techniques the relatively higher packaging speednecessitates a sanitary, continual and consistently reliable bag supplyarrangement. Bags for such use, irrespective of the complexity of theparticular packaging technique, are customarily supplied to the user inbulk packages which must be opened and the bags loaded by hand into thebag dispensing portion of the apparatus. Where such bags are providedwith holes for wicket mounting, the bags must be manipulated to alignthe holes and thereby facilitate wicket insertion. This, of course,involves considerable human handling with attendant possibilities ofcontamination due to accidental drops as well as the handling per se. Itis also important, more so on the more fully automated apparatus, thatthe bag installation on the apparatus be made with the care necessary toinsure smooth continual bag dispensing action without binding or tearingmalfunctions which cause process interruptions if not complete shutdowns.

Up to the time of the present invention, the industry has not had anentirely satisfactory arrangement for the uninterrupted, rapid, sanitaryand faultless supplying and mounting of wicket held bags for use inpackaging operations.

It is thus the principle object of the present invention to provide apackage article of flattened stacked wicket held flexible packaging bagssecured on a wicket, which bags can be readily loaded into a bagdispensing station of a packaging operation with facility and little orno human contact with the packaging bags themselves.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a package of bagswhich are wicket secured and aligned, that is with a holding wicket inthe bag wicket holes included in the package article.

Another and important object of the invention is to provide a package ofbags which is easily assembled, handled, transported, stored, opened andinstalled ready for use and which affords an exceptionally high degreeof protection against bag damage and contamination.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a package ofwicketed packaging bags which is readily installed in a bag dispensingsection of automatic packaging apparatus in precise alignment andregister with other componentry of the apparatus.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a unitarypackaged article of packaging bags which can be assembled with otherlike units into a larger package and readily unpacked to suit bulkhandling, transport, storage and ultimate use requirements.

In general the present invention comprehends a package articlecomprising, in combination a multiplicity of horizontally flattenedstacked flexible packaging bags, each bag having at least one plyprovided with wicket holes, a wicket having a substantially horizontalportion disposed to effect bearing contact with a portion of an uppersurface of the topmost bag of said multiplicity of bags when an innercarton element is removed and wicket legs extending perpendicularly withrespect to said center portion through the wicket holes and projectingbeyond the wicket holes in the lower ply of the bottommost bag of themultiplicity of bags, an inner carton element or tab panel disposed flatatop the multiplicity of flattened stacked bags provided with a tabmember foldable around the wicket substantially horizontal portion, andan outer carton element or tray folder foldably enclosing the bags, thewicket and the inner carton element.

A package article according to the present invention may advantageouslyhave the wicket disposed in a canted orientation and the flattenedstacked bags imbricated according to the canted orientation of thewicket.

It is also a further improvement in a package article according to thepresent invention to provide a liner which may be interposed between themultiplicity of bags and the carton elements or, alternatively, betweenthe assembly of the multiplicity of bags and the inner carton elementand the outer carton-element.

A still further advance in the art is constituted in an assembly ofpackage articles according to this invention enclosed in a larger cartonpackage or shipping container to facilitate bulk handling, transport,storage, ready unpacking and ultimate use of the packaged bags.

The foregoing and other additional objects and features of the inventionwill be more fully understood from the ensuing detailed description andthe drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an unopened package article according tothe present invention,

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the FIG. 1 article with the tray folderelement opened,

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of the FIG. 1 article with the tray folderelement opened, the tab panel element removed and the wicketed bagspartly unpackaged,

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of an assembly of FIG. 1 articles partlyremoved from a larger shipping container,

FIG. 5 is a plan view ofa development ofa tray folder element accordingto the invention,

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a development of a tab panel element accordingto the invention and FIG. 7 is a plan view of a packaging bag.

With reference to the drawings, a package article, shown generally as11, according to the invention comprises a multiplicity of flattenedstacked flexible packaging bags 13 made of plastic or the like materialwith an uppermost or top bag 15 atop the bag stack and a bottom bag 17bottommost of the stack. A typical bag 19 is shown in FIG. 7 of thedrawings and may be made from extruded tubular plastic material such aspolyethylene. A bag 19 is formed by arcuately cutting a flattenedextended tubular plastic film into desired bag lengths and heat sealingone arcuate cut to define a bag bottom 21, a bag upper ply 23 and a baglower ply 25. Upper ply 23 is further out to define an arcuate lip 27and to expose a portion of the inside bag surface of the lower ply 25which is pierced by punching or other suitable means to form wicketholes 29. A multiplicity of individual bags 19 are arranged to form astack of bags 13 with the wicket holes 29 in substantial register asbetween bags to permit the insertion therethrough of the legs 33 of awicket 31. The wicket 31 is fabricated of rigid metal rod or wire and isformed to provide, in addition to legs 33, a substantially horizontalportion 37 extending centrally of and perpendicularly to the legs 33,and wicket shoulders 35 extending upwardly of the legs 33 and horizontalportion 37 and connecting these parts as shown. Other forms of wicketsmay be used in package articles according to this invention with equalfacility.

A stack of wicketed bags 13 is arranged on the bottom panel 41 of a trayfolder element 39 precut and formed to provide, in addition to thebottom panel 41, side panels 43 and closure panels 45. Tray folderelement 39 may advantageously be formed to include a hole 47 tofacilitate the pulling and removal of a package article 11 from a bulkpackage carton or shipping container 59 as illustrated in FIG. 4 of thedrawings. A tab panel element 49, precut and formed to provide a tabmember 51 is placed atop the topmost bag 15 of the stacked bags 13 withthe tab member 51 passing between the topmost bag lower ply 25 uppersurface and the wicket horizontal portion 37 between the wicket legs 33.Tab member 51 is bent or folded up and back approximately 180 aroundwicket horizontal portion 37 onto the upper surface of tab panel element49. The

wicket is then canted to imbricate the bags and the tab panel elementthereon and to substantially reduce the vertical height from leg 33 endsto shoulders 35 of the wicket. With the wicket, bags and tab panelelement 49 thus in place on the bottom panel 41, the tray folder element39 is foldably closed along precreased lines between the bottom and sidepanels and the side and closure panels and the closure panels are tapedfor in stance by tapes 53 or otherwise secured closed. The basic unitpackage article 1 1 is thus complete, with the bags wicketed and thewicket secured at the top with tab member 51 of inner carton element 49wrapped around the wicket horizontal portion 37 and the ends of thewicket legs 33 immobilized against the inner surface of the tray folderelementbottom panel 41.

In order to provide additional protection to the bags 13, particularlywhen a significant amount of handling or long distance transport is tobe expected, it is advantageous to interpose a liner57 between theassembled stack of bags and the carton elements as shown in FIG. 3 ofthe drawings. The liner may be an open ended bag of plastic or the like,of sufficient size to accommodate the bag stack and be provided with aclosed end which may be taped, for example with tapes 55, or otherwisesecured to the finger hole 47 edge of bottom panel 41 of the tray folderelement 39. Alternatively, a liner 57 may be interposed between theassembled bags and tab panel element 49 combined and tray folder element39 and secured thereto as hereinabove described.

A number of package articles according to the invention mayadvantageously be assembled and enclosed in a bulk carton or shippingcontainer 59 as shown in FIG. 4 of the drawings to facilitate andresolve the practical problems involved in handling, transport, storageand ultimate use. The outer or bulk carton 59 may be provided with atape or tear strip 61 to facilitate opening at the time of usage.

Drawing FIGS. 4, 1, 2 and 3, viewed sequentially, illustrate the mannerin which the package article of the invention is unpacked, opened anddisassembled to provide the wicketed stacked bags 13 for use in anautomatic or semiautomatic packaging operation. FIG. 4 shows a group ofpackage articles 11 partly removed from a bulk carton 59 which has beenopened by the tear strip removal of one end. A unit package article 1 1as shown in FIG. 1 is removed from the bulk carton group by pulling outon the finger hole 47 of the one selected, usually at the top of thearray, and may be carried thus and placed at the installation point. InFIG. 2 the package article is shown with the tapes 53 cut or removed andopened to reveal the tab panel element 49 atop the stacked bags 13. Fromthe FIG. 2 disposition, the bags 13, wicket 31 and tab panel element 49are slid forward, that is to say towards the viewer, the wicket leg 33ends are inserted into wicket boss holes on whatever apparatus at thepackaging station, the tab member 51 is unfolded from around wickethorizontal portion 37, tab panel element 49 is removed and tray folderelement 39 with the liner 57 secured to it is pulled rearward, that isto say away from the viewer of FIG. 3, clear of the wicketed stackedbags 13 now mounted on the packaging station apparatus ready for use.Thus it can be seen that the present invention provides for theunpacking and installation of bags at a use point of a packaging stationwith only minimal human contact with the bags themselves. Moreover thebags are continuously secured on the wicket all through the unpackingand installation procedures thus materially reducing, if not completelyobviating, the chance of accidental spills or drops.

FIG. 5 of the drawings shows a development plan view of a tray folderelement 39 die cut or otherwise formed from any suitable carton stocksuch as for example corrugated paper board. The dimensions of element 39depend of course on the size and quantity of bags to be packaged but inpractice certain criteria or guide lines have been found usefulrespecting the dimensional relationships amongst flattened bagdimensions, bag stack heights and the cutting and folding dimensions ofthe inner and outer carton elements.

As shown in the drawings, FIGS. 5 and 6, the dimension L, which is thetray folder element 39 overall length, is the length of one flattenedbag plus 6 inches or 15.25 cm; the dimension W, which is the insidewidth of the tray folder element bottom panel 41, that is between innersurfaces of the outer carton element side panels 43 when the packagearticle is assembled, is the width of one flattened bag plus 1% inchesor 3.8 cm for flattened bag widths of from about 4 inches or 10.16 cm upto 6% inches or 16.5 cm and the width of one flattened bag plus 2 inchesor 5.1 cm for flattened bag widths over 6% inches or 16.5 cm; thedimension A, which is the width of each of the tray folder elementclosure panels 45, is equal to one half of the dimension W plus one halfthe overall width of the wicket 31 being utilized; the dimension B,which is a cutting dimension for the tray folder element closure panels45, is equal to one half of the dimension W minus one half the overallwidth of the wicket 31 being utilized plus one half inch or 1.27 cm; thedimension C, which is a cutting dimension for the tray folder elementclosure panels 45 is variable and depends upon the arcuate shape of thebag open ends relative to particular bag size; the dimensions D and E,which are cutting dimensions for the tray folder element closure panels45 are variable and depend upon the arcuate shape of the bag closed endsrelative to particular bag size. The dimension D may be computed usuallyas one half of the difference between the dimension W and 4 inches or10.16 cm and the dimension B may be taken usually as 2 inches or 5.1 cm.The dimension H, which is the inside height of the tray folder element39 when the package article is assembled, is equal to the bag stackheight plus the thickness of the tab panel element 49. The dimension L,which is the length of the tab panel element 49, is approximately equalto the dimension L; the dimension P, which is the width of tab panelelement tab member 51, is equal to the overall width of the wicket 31being utilized minus three fourths of an inch or 1.9 cm; the dimensionG, which is a cutting dimension for the tab panel element 49, is equalto one half of the difference between the dimension W and the overallwidth of the wicket 31 being utilized plus one fourth of an inch or 0.63cm; and the dimension .1 is equal to 2% inches or 6.35 cm for flattenedbag widths of from about 4 inches or 10.16 em up to about 12 inches or30.5 cm and is equal to 3% inches or 8.9 cm for flattened bag widths offrom 12 inches or 30.5 cm up to 18 inches or 45.7 cm.

L flattened bag length 6" (15.25 cm) W flattened bag width 1 /fi" (3.8cm) for flattened bag widths of 4" to 6 '26 (10.16 cm to 16.5 6

cm) and flattened bag width 2" (5.1 cm) for flattened bag widths over 65% (16.5 cm) A %(W wicket width) B /2(W wicket width +1 (2.54 cm)) Cvariable D variable, usually [W 4" (10.16 cm)/2] E variable, usually 2(5.1 cm) H bag stack height thickness of tab panel element L L(approximately) F wicket width /1 (1.9 cm) G '76 [W wicket width 7 1(0.635 cm) 1 J 4 /z (11.43 cm) for flattened bag widths of 4" (10.16 cm)to 12" (30.5 cm) and 5 /z" (13.97 cm) for flattened bag widths of 12"(30.5 cm) to 18" (45.7 cm).

EXAMPLES Several test samples of package articles were made according to,the present invention, each containing 500 8 X 14 inch flattenedplastic bags on an M-shaped wicket. Some of the tray folders and tabfolders were made from pound test corrugated board and others from 200pound test corrugated board. Certain samples were provided with linersand others were not. These samples were tested in handling, shipping,stacking and the like simulated and/or actual conditions. Selectedsamples were agitated on a shaker table for vibration periods of up to32 hours. All of the tested samples were found to be in suitablecondition for use on automatic bagging apparatus upon opening andunpacking after the tests. The linered samples were found to be ingenerally better condition than the unlinered samples with respect tothe shaker table vibration tests.

The foregoing description and dimensional information is useful andillustrative for the purpose of explaining the invention, but personsfamiliar with the packaging arts and the carton pattern makers art will,in the light of this disclosure, undoubtedly design alternative cartonelements which, when incorporated in an assembled package article, fallwithin the scope and spirit of this invention. It is therefore intendedthat the description be taken as illustrative only and not be construedin any limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. A package article comprising, in combination:

a. a multiplicity of flattened stacked flexible packaging bags, each baghaving at least one ply provided with wicket holes,

b. a wicket having a center portion disposed to effect bearing contactwith a portion of an upper surface of the topmost bag of saidmultiplicity of bags and having wicket legs extending perpendicularlywith respect to said center portion through the wicket holes andprojecting beyond the wicket holes in the lower ply of the bottommostbag of the multiplicity of bags,

c. an inner carton element disposed flat atop the multiplicity offlattened stacked bags provided with a tab member folded around aportion of the wicket, and

d. an outer carton element foldably enclosing the bags, the wicket andthe inner carton element.

2. A package article according to claim 1 wherein the wicket is disposedin a canted orientation and the flattened stacked bags are imbricatedaccording to the canted orientation of the wicket.

3. A package article according to claim 1 wherein a bag of themultiplicity of bags, liner is interposed between the multiplicity ofbags and c. a tab folder element disposed flat atop the multithe cartonelements. plicity of flattened stacked bags provided with a tab 4. Apackage article according to claim 1 wherein a member folded around thewicket center portion, liner is interposed between the assembly of themultiand plicity of bags and the inner carton element and the d. a trayfolder element foldably enclosing the bags, outer carton element. thewicket and the tab folder element,

5. A package article comprising, in combination: 6. A package articleaccording to claim 5 wherein the a. a multiplicity of flattened stackedflexible packagwicket is disposed in a canted orientation and theflating bags,each bag havingalower ply provided with 10 tened stackedbags are imbricated according to the wicket holes and an upper ply clearof the wicket canted orientation of the wicket.

holes in the lower ply, 7. A package article according to claim 5wherein av b. a wicket having a center portion disposed to effect linearis interposed between the multiplicity of bags bearing contact with aportion of the upper surface and the carton elements. of the lower plyof the topmost bag of said multi- 8. A package article according toclaim 5 wherein a plicity of bags and having wicket legs extending lineris interposed between the assembly of the multiperpendicularly withrespect to said center portion plicity of bags and the inner cartonelement and the through the wicket holes and projecting beyond the outercarton element. wicket holes in the lower ply of the bottommost

1. A package article comprising, in combination: a. a multiplicity offlattened stacked flexible packaging bags, each bag having at least oneply provided with wicket holes, b. a wicket having a center portiondisposed to effect bearing contact with a portion of an upper surface ofthe topmost bag of said multiplicity of bags and having wicket legsextending perpendicularly with respect to said center portion throughthe wicket holes and projecting beyond the wicket holes in the lower plyof the bottommost bag of the multiplicity of bags, c. an inner cartonelement disposed flat atop the multiplicity of flattened stacked bagsprovided with a tab member folded around a portion of the wicket, and d.an outer carton element foldably enclosing the bags, the wicket and theinner carton element.
 2. A package article according to claim 1 whereinthe wicket is disposed in a canted orientation and the flattened stackedbags are imbricated according to the canted orientation of the wicket.3. A package article according to claim 1 wherein a liner is interposedbetween the multiplicity of bags and the carton elements.
 4. A packagearticle according to claim 1 wherein a liner is interposed between theassembly of the multiplicity of bags and the inner carton element andthe outer carton element.
 5. A package article comprising, incombination: a. a multiplicity of flattened stacked flexible packagingbags, each bag having a lower ply provided with wicket holes and anupper ply clear of the wicket holes in the lower ply, b. a wicket havinga center portion disposed to effect bearing contact with a portion ofthe upper surface of the lower ply of the topmost bag of saidmultiplicity of bags and having wicket legs extending perpendicularlywith respect to said center portion through the wicket holes andprojecting beyond the wicket holes in the lower ply of the bottommostbag of the multiplicity of bags, c. a tab folder element disposed flatatop the multiplicity of flattened stacked bags provided with a tabmember folded around the wicket center portion, and d. a tray folderelement foldably enclosing the bags, the wicket and the tab folderelement.
 6. A package article according to claim 5 wherein the wicket isdisposed in a canted orientation and the flattened stacked bags areimbricated according to the canted orientation of the wicket.
 7. Apackage article according to claim 5 wherein a linear is interposedbetween the multiplicity of bags and the carton elements.
 8. A packagearticle according to claim 5 wherein a liner is interposed between theassembly of the multiplicity of bags and the inner carton element andthe outer carton element.